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Retired teacher changed tune on raises

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According to the Tuesday
Dispatch article “Win or lose, Arlington says it will make cuts,” Educate UA contends that
the Upper Arlington City School District hasn’t done enough to rein in salaries and benefits for
district employees.

Joyce Blake, a former teacher and former member of the Upper Arlington Education Association,
said: “If reasonable adjustments had been made to the rate of growth of compensation, the 30
teaching positions that were cut could have been saved.”

Salaries and benefits of teachers are negotiated by the UA Board of Education and members of the
Upper Arlington Education Association. As a former member of the school board and its negotiating
committee, I found it difficult and challenging to stem the growth of salaries and benefits, while
striving to maintain the high quality of our schools and our professional staff.

As a former teacher and employee of Upper Arlington schools, Blake was a willing beneficiary of
the increases in UA salaries and benefits, as well as the salary enhancements mandated by the state
of Ohio. I don’t recall her asking for lower compensation and benefits when she was an active
teacher.

As a retired teacher, she now reaps the benefits of her past employment through the State
Teachers Retirement System.

At a time when we all are striving to maintain the high quality of education in our community, I
have trouble understanding the adamant opposition of Educate UA and Blake to this much-needed
school levy.